Spring
by Samuel B
Summary: AU: Earth-719. Fluff. Jubilee and Angelo go to the spring dance at the Xavier Institute for the Gifted.
1. Acknowledgments

All characters within this fan-fiction belong to Marvel. The story is mine, but contains events in New X-Men: Academy X.

Feedback is greatly appreciated. Edits have been made, and more may be made sometime in the future.


	2. Spring

_Spring, Xavier Institute for the Gifted_

_Bayville, New York…_

Jubilation Li popped her gum and sighed, staring at the ceiling of her dorm from her messy bed. Sitting up, she glanced at the three pictures on her desk. There was one singed and crinkled photo of her parents, smiling from some black-tie event. Next to it was a picture of her with Logan; she was wearing one of his cowboy hats and laughing about something. The third photo was her newest addition. It was a shot of her with her Aunt. Her Aunt's arm was casually wrapped around Jubilee' shoulders; Jubilee's arm was around her aunt's tiny waist. Brad, the butler, was giving Aunt Hope bunny ears and grinning maniacally. The door opened, and Jubilee' roommate, Callie, walked in.

"Hey, elf, what's poppin'?"

Callie rolled her green eyes, swearing playfully in Italian under her breath. She tucked her long brown hair behind her pointed ears and dropped to her bed. Smiling, she asked, "Guess who asked me to the dance?"

"I don't know—the wolf guy?"

"Ew, no. Mark Sheppard—the really cute guy from the Paragons."

"Pfft. That loser? He's like a watered-down version of me. I even had that same haircut back when I was with the X-Men."

Callie rolled her eyes again. "So who are you going with, big shot?"

Jubilee thought about the last dance she'd gone to. It was a crappy, high school dance back in L.A. with Shane Shooter, some local riff-raff she'd taken a shine to. That was the night her Aunt had died.

"I don't know. I don't think I'm going to go."

"What? But you have to go!" Callie pouted. "I can set you up with Max from my squad if you want."

"Nah. If I go, I think I'll go with Angelo."

Callie grinned, clasping her hands to her chest and sang, "Oh, Angelo! You woo me with your poetry and mysterious gangster ways. I want to thug it out with you, baby."

Jubilee shot a few brightly colored sparks at her cackling roommate.

_The next day, the Danger Room…_

"Computer, verbal command: terminate simulation." From the control room, Mr. Cassidy was smiling broadly. Over the speaker, he said, "Great job, everybody. Meet me in the hall for notes."

Mr. Cassidy stood talking to Paige and Monet, congratulating them on their "bloody great work" in the danger room session. Paige looked the picture of the humble student, and Monet looked just the opposite. She had a smug smile on her face, and flipped her long black hair over her shoulder.

Glaring overtly at Monet, Jubilee sidled up to Angelo with lead in her stomach. She could feel cold sweat trickling down her spine, but it wasn't from the danger room session.

"Hey, Espinosa…"

"Hey, Li," he replied in whisper, smiling slightly.

"You're going to the spring dance with me, right?"

"Of course I am, _chica_." He looked into her sapphire eyes and smiled.

Jubilee rolled her eyes and socked him in the shoulder. "Alright, Romeo, don't fall in love on me. I'm not trained for that kind of emergency."

"Jubilation Li! I dinnae just see ye strike your team-mate, did I?"

Rolling her eyes in her head, she shouted her reply. "No sir! It must have been a trick of the light, sir! Florescent lighting is very bad for the eyes, sir! What actually happened, sir, was that Espinosa, here, lost his balance and fell into my fist!"

Paige covered a smile from behind Mr. Cassidy's back, and Monet took her turn to glare at Jubilee. Mr. Cassidy, himself, had to suppress a smile. "Verra good, Li," he said, turning to Thom Everett.

Jubilee gasped when Angelo stretched the skin on his fingers to tickle her between her ribs. Mr. Cassidy spun around, and glared daggers at the two. "Och. You're all of you dismissed. Hit the showers." Mumbling to himself in a thicker brogue, he said something about going back to Interpol.

_Later that day, Jubilee's room…_

Jubilee burst into the room singing loudly. Callie looked up from her homework, startled.

"What're you so cheerful about, Jubes?" she asked before Jubilee grabbed her, spinning her around.

"I gots me a dancin' friend to this here hoe-down." Jubilee linked her arm in the crook of Callie's, stomping around in a circle. When the occupants of the room below banged on the ceiling, she hopped onto her bed and grinned widely.

_The night of the dance…_

Paige, Monet and Angelo stood all dressed up at the base of the girls' dormitory. Monet heaved a massive sigh and tapped her foot impatiently; her wine-colored dress clung delicately to her young curves.

"Zat girl is late to every-sing."

Paige nodded and smoothed out her simple dress. Angelo looked up and said, "You guys go on ahead, I'll wait for her."

As the two girls left, Angelo leaned against the wall, feeling the cool breeze ruffle his shaggy, black hair. He looked up at the velvety sky to count the glittering stars and thought about Jubilee' eyes.

"Hey, sorry I took so long. Callie wouldn't let me leave until I'd checked her makeup like three times."

Angelo's mouth dropped open when he saw Jubilation Li. Her hair, pulled loosely back into a half-ponytail, tumbled down to her shoulders, where a black choker with silver studs sat. Her blue dress swooped from shoulder to shoulder, and two oversized silver hoop earrings dangled from her ears.

"You look nice, too, Espinosa," she said, closing his jaw. Popping some bubble-gum into her mouth, she grabbed his hand and said, "C'mon, let's go."

…

Jubilee and Angelo were dancing, while Angelo blushed furiously and Jubilee teased him about it. Suddenly, on the other side of the decorated basketball court, Sofia Mantega was yelling at Laurie Collins, blasting her with wind. Laurie, Sofia, David, and Josh all stormed out, one after another.

Paige walked up, asking, "What was that all about?"

"I don't know, Hayseed. Ask Jay, they're all his squad-mates. He's over there," she pointed vaguely. "Y'know, not here."

Paige rolled her eyes and pushed Jubilee's shoulder playfully. "Thanks a bunch," she said dryly before she walked over to the other side of the room, looking for her little brother.

"You wanna cut outta here, Espinosa?"

"Sure thing, _mija_."

They made their way to the door, pushing past Paige who was quizzing her brother for details. When they made it outside, the quiet breeze made a nice change from the loud music and clumsy dancing in the hall. Angelo and Jubilee trailed along the paths by the lake's shore.

"Sure is nice out, isn't it?" asked Jubilee, snapping her gum.

"Sure is," replied Angelo softly.

The two sat down on an old concrete bench, looking out across the lake's sparkling surface. The wind brought the smell of sweet grass and cherry blossoms to the teenagers. Angelo gently entwined his fingers with Jubilee's. She sighed quietly and leaned against him, feeling his heartbeat.

"I never realized you were so short," she said quietly.

When Angelo stiffened in surprise, she quickly added, "It's nice, I mean. I don't have to crane my neck to look at you."

"Thanks, Li. You always knew how to charm a guy."

"Oh, shut up."

She twisted up, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and leaned in toward Angelo. He closed his eyes, and they parted their lips softly. They leaned in and Jubilee' phone started playing the Mexican Hat Dance.

"Gravel," mumbled Jubilee, breaking off the almost-kiss. She pulled out her phone from her tiny purse. "Oh, I can't believe it."

"Who is it?"

Jubilee signaled for him to hold on, answering the phone.

"Shane! What the hell?"

The grin dropped from Jubilee' face, and her jaw went slack. "What?" She paused, hardly even breathing. "I gotta go."

Clumsily, Jubilee dropped the phone into her purse.

When Jubilee looked up, Angelo asked, "What's up, Li?"

"My Aunt's alive."

_End_


End file.
